Six arrested in major meth bust

Originally posted on: Tuesday, July 29, 2008 by Amie McLain
Last updated on: 7/29/2008 4:32:47 PM

http://www.nbc-2.com/articles/readartic ... =20694&z=3

FORT MYERS: The Fort Myers Police Department, with the help of other law enforcement agencies, has made a major methamphetamine bust today that included a local car dealer and is linked across state and domestic lines.

A lengthy investigation culminated with the arrest of six individuals and the seizure of six pounds of crystal meth that has a street value of about $140,000, authorities said.

"The officers here in Fort Myers, we stop hundreds of cars a day and do searches. How many times do we come up with crystal meth? Not many," said Sergeant Jay Rodriguez of the Fort Myers Police Department.

All six arrested were charged with drug trafficking and were being held on $30,000 bond, authorities said.

Among those taken into custody was Jose Flores, 44, the owner of City of Palms Auto, 3445 Palm Beach Boulevard in Fort Myers, which served as a meeting place where the drugs were purchased, authorities said.

"You've got parts in there where you can put vehicles in there discreetly and it's a fairly good location for this kind of stuff," said Sergeant Rodriguez.

Others booked into the Lee County Jail this morning were:

Obduilo Velez Medina, 19, of Lehigh Acres

Gladis Arias-Garcia, 31, of Atlanta and Mexico

Miguel Javier Sanchez, 24, of Lawrenceville, Ga.

David Arreola Williams, 28, of Lawrenceville, Ga, and Los Angeles

Javier Alejandro Medina-Santoyo, 22, of Lilburn, Ga.

About eight months ago, detectives began investigating Flores as a high-level drug distributor, reports said.

Through the use of a confidential informant, investigators monitored the sale and delivery of crystal meth through hundreds of hours of surveillance, reports said.

On Friday, the drugs arrived in Fort Myers and investigators seized the shipment.

The Fort Myers Police Department was assisted in the investigation by of the Drug Enforcement Administration and Florida Highway Patrol.

Story also at http://www.abc-7.com/articles/readnews. ... =20694&z=2